Where Does Vikings' Defense Rank in Post-Draft NFL Landscape?
How good will the Vikings' defense be this season? Let's just say internal expectations might be higher than the national perception. Bleacher Report recently ranked all 32 NFL defenses following this year's draft, and the Vikings checked in at No. 18 on their list.
"The Vikings might not have a perfect defense but they have a strong identity. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores is going to bring the pressure to opposing offenses and force them to deal with a wide variety of looks and packages. His first year brought mixed results, but the Vikings have done things in the offseason to give him better players to work with. Danielle Hunter will be missed, but Jonathan Greenard is younger and will replace a good portion of his production. Dallas Turner is a hand-in-glove fit with this scheme and signing Andrew Van Ginkel gives them a blitzer with experience in Flores' system."
To me, 18th feels too low for a Vikings defense with an elite coordinator and a well-rounded roster. Flores came in last year and engineered an impressive turnaround, bringing Minnesota from 24th in defensive DVOA in 2022 to 11th in 2023. He did that despite the team moving on from experienced veterans like Za'Darius Smith, Dalvin Tomlinson, Patrick Peterson, and Eric Kendricks last offseason. Flores changed the Vikings' defensive approach and culture, using a unique scheme that blitzed more than any other team while simultaneously dropping eight into coverage more than any other team. He put his players in positions to succeed and got career years out of a bunch of his guys.
This offseason, the Vikings lost Hunter and D.J. Wonnum, who combined for 24.5 of their 43 sacks last season. But they quickly reloaded by adding Greenard and Van Ginkel in free agency — two players who should fit Flores' defense impeccably. Blake Cashman and Shaq Griffin were also notable additions in March. The Vikings then traded up to draft Turner, who was arguably the best defensive prospect in this year's draft. Even without Hunter, this defense continues to be built the way Flores wants. The Vikings still have some questions at cornerback and defensive tackle, but they're loaded with talented and versatile edge rushers, linebackers, and safeties.
Last year, the Vikings were 11th in defensive DVOA, 17th in opponent EPA per play, 13th in success rate, and tied for 13th in points allowed. This season, even without Hunter, they figure to get better in the second year of Flores' scheme. The OLB room is deeper, the dynamic safety trio returns, and players like Ivan Pace Jr. and Mekhi Blackmon are no longer rookies. If Griffin (and perhaps Khyree Jackson) can provide quality play at outside cornerback, this could be an excellent unit. The Vikings would also love to get some interior pass rush out of Jerry Tillery and Jaquelin Roy.
Here's where B/R believes they need to improve:
The Vikings have to get more out of their blitzes. They dialed up pressures more often than anyone in the league, but they were still 15th in pressure percentage. A blitz that doesn't get home makes life awfully tough for the secondary. If the sum of the parts they brought in is greater than the impact of Hunter, the pass should improve which will help the secondary. Essentially, there needs to be more synergy between the levels of the defense to take a step forward in 2024.
That's fair. And that's why the Vikings are so excited about adding Turner to join Greenard, Van Ginkel, Pace, Cashman, Josh Metellus, and the rest of this defensive core. The better the pass rush, the easier life is for the secondary. The more their cornerbacks can hold up in man coverage, the longer the pass rush will have to get home. With Flores leading the way, I believe there's a good chance this Vikings defense finishes in the top ten in most categories in 2024.
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WILL RAGATZ
Will Ragatz is the publisher of Inside the Vikings, an SI.com channel in the Fan Nation network. He's in his fourth season as a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat writer, covering the team at practices, games, and all offseason long. Will posts daily Vikings articles year-round. Not only is he on top of all the latest news, he provides the analysis and context to put the news into perspective. He knows the team inside and out, which allows him to bring depth and quality to his coverage. From free agency to the draft to training camp and the NFL season, Will covers every relevant story surrounding the Vikings. Prior to taking this role in 2019, Will attended Northwestern University and studied at the renowned Medill School of Journalism. As a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball, among other sports, for SB Nation's Inside NU. Will was a co-editor-in-chief of the site during his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned at Sports Illustrated's newsroom in New York City, writing articles primarily on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com. A native of Minneapolis who still resides in the city, Will grew up a diehard Minnesota sports fan. He played baseball at Southwest High School and wrote for the student newspaper.